stallsmith



D. G. STALLSMITH.

RAILWAY BRAKE BEAM.

APPLICATION man MAR. 10. 1919.

Patented Aug. 26, 1919.

DAVID E- STALLSMITH DAVID e. 'STALLSMITH, or LOGAN, OHIO.

RAILWAY BRAKE-BEAM.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug, 26, 1919,

Application filed March 10, 1919. Serial No. 281,684.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID G. STALLsMrrH, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Logan, in the county of Hocking and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway Brake Beams, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in railway brake beams, and espe cially to the features involving the fulcrum or strut interposed between the compression memberand the truss rod or brace of the beam. The primary object of the invention is the provision of a beam that is of maximum strength and minimum weight, durable, and simple in construction so that when necessary, the parts may be interchanged, as for instance the beam may be changed from a right hand lever to a left hand lever operation, without the necessity of returning the car to the shop for the purpose, and this change may be made out on the road with only slight difficulty. To this end the invention consists essentially in the utilization of a novel form of strut in connection with the beam members which strut, or a portion of it, is movable under certain conditions to adjust it for use with either the right hand lever or the left hand lever.

In the accompanying drawings the invention is exemplified at one end of a railway car, the combination and arrangement of parts being illustrated according to the best mode I have so far devised for the practical ap plication of the principles of the invention.

Figure 1 is an enlarged edge view showing a portion of one of the brake beams and a brake lever in operative position.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the beam and connections of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 22 of Fig. 2 showing the lock for the strut or fulcrum block.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but here the fulcrum block is turned to adjustment for reverse position of the brake lever.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view at line 3-3 of Fig. 2 showing the brake lever fulcrum in the fulcrum block.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the fulcrum block.

The compression member is illustrated as an I-beam of suflicient strength and proper size, and is reinforced by the truss rod 16 having its perforated'ends riveted at 17 to the compression member, and" the truss rod, preferably made up of a round bar, lies in a horizontal plane, with the apex 18 of its V-shape outline on the longitudinal axis of the truck, and at the center of the brake beam.

Between the compression member and the apex or bend of the truss rod, the strut is located, and comprises three sections, the intermediate member being the fulcrum block or support 19 formed with the fulcrum slot 20 extending therethrough, and at the ends of the block areround'ed bosses 21, of r duced' diameter, and adapted to act as spindies for the block to turn on when required. The brake lever is passed through the slot 20, and the bolt 22 is the pivot for the lever to swing on in the application. or withdrawal of the brakes.

Normally the fulcrum block is rigidly supported by its bosses between the two socket members 23 and 24, the former having a socket for the boss 21 and grooved at its end at 25 to engage the truss rod at its apex 18, and the member 24: having flanges 26 that are riveted at 27 to the I-beam compression member, and this socket member 24 has means for locking the fulcrum block by its boss 21 against rotation.

The strut section 24 has an open slot 28 opening from its socket, and the boss 21 is fashioned with a pair of grooves 2.), 29, the open slot being designed to accommodate the lock block 30 and the grooves to receive the rib or tongue 31 on the lock block 30, and in addition, the cotter pin 32 which is passed through openings'in the lock block and the walls of the open slot of the socket member.

Thus when it is desired to change the position of the intermediate part of the strut, or the fulcrum block, to present the slot of the latter at a different angle for a right hand or a left hand lever, the cotter pin is removed and the locking block withdrawn so that the fulcrum block may be turned with its bosses in the sockets. When the fulcrum block has been turned at the desired or required angle, the locking block is again positioned with its tongue engaging the selected groove of the boss 21' and the cotter key is then shoved into place locking the intermediate section with relation to the end sections of the strut.

of my invention the necessity for carryin crum supports is obvlated and the brake levers may be interchanged with facility and convenience, thus reducing the stock of struts required to be held on hand or carried on the trains, and the simplicity of the construction andoperation of the device permits of its use on the road Without resorting to the use of complicated implements or tools, as'vvill readily beapparent.

What I claim is 1. The combination With the compression member and the truss rod, of a socket member riveted 'to the compression member and a grooved socket member engaging the truss rod and a fulcrum said fulcrum block having bosses at its ends engaging the socket members one of which is grooved,o-ne of the bosses having a pair of grooves adapting the fulcrum block for interchange of position,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the ing a tongue.

block forming the strut,

a locking latch havto engage one of the boss grooves, and a cotter pin for said latch.

2. The combination With the compression member and truss rod of a brake beam, of a strut including a pair of end members connected respectively to the compression member and the truss rod and each provided with an end socket axially of the strut, an'intermediate fulcrum ,block having axially projecting end trunnions rotatably seated in the sockets of the said end members, whereby to adapt the fulcrum block to ready interchange of position, and means in connection With the end member of the strut attached to the compression member andengaging the corresponding trunnion of the fulcrum block to lock the latter inselected rotative adjustment.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

DAVID e, STALLSMITH.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). G. 

